Strawberry Panna Cotta 2.0

Often, when I make strawberry puree (see my post 5/30/09) or strawberry jam, I’ll have a bit too much to fill another half-pint jar. (I’m off quarter pints of jam—to skimpy to give as gifts.) And I’ll stick the leftover puree or jam in the fridge.

Lately I’ve been serving cheesecake with the leftover jam. Sometime I make a cheesecake, but it’s been so hot I’ve instead purchased one from Junior’s at Grand Central Station in New York. They are delicious. Indeed, a trip to Junior’s original location in Brooklyn is totally worth it and hilarious. It’s one of those joints that make you love being a New Yorker, even though it’s like 99 degrees and humid outside. Junior’s has been on Flatbush Avenue since the 1950s. Indeed, my waiter looked like Little Richard—he had an afro with a side part- and insisted I was Jaclyn Smith (remember her? From the TV show Charlie’s Angels? Obviously I left him a tremendous tip). We like to get the famous egg salad twin rolls: two sandwiches on mini onion rolls, or the “Most Fabulous” turkey, tongue, Swiss cheese, coleslaw and Russian dressing sandwich. Oh Yeah. www.juniorscheesecake.com/our_restaurants/brooklyn/

I’ve made another version of panna cotta with strawberry puree–but this is 2.0. It’s a terrific summer desert: easy, cool, and it can be done ahead of time.

Stir the 2 teaspoons of gelatin in 2 tablespoons in warm water. Be sure the gelatin is completely dissolved.

Add the cream, milk, 1/4 cup of sugar, strawberry puree, and dissolved gelatin into a medium sized sauce pot and simmer, stirring, until the mixture is hot. Do not boil. The idea is to treat the gelatin very gently and not upset it or it may separate while cooling. (Indeed, sometimes this happens to me and I can’t figure out what I did wrong—but no worries, the taste is fine. It’s just not as good looking.)

Remove from heat and pour into 4 ramekins. The cream will be a nice light pink. Refrigerate for 4 to 6 hours.

To serve, run a sharp knife around the perimeter of the panna cotta. Turn the ramekin over and tap abruptly onto a plate. The panna cotta should pop right out.

BY THE WAY…

Right now the Maserati of salmon is in: king salmon from the Yukon River. Check it out if you can. The most fatty, buttery, flavorful! (In New York City they’ve got it at the Oyster Bar in Grand Central Station.) www.fishex.com/seafood/salmon/yukon-river-salmon.html